Historical Background of local area

Oughterlin

©Oughterlin & Legland
The quarterland names, Oughterlin & Legland are derived from the Gaelic, Uachtar-ghleann & Lag-ghleann (Upper glen & Lower glen) which describes their physical locations.
According to Gaelic custom, land division was structured as follows :
Ballyboe : Grazing for one cow (bó) for one year
Carrow : (Quarterland) contained an unspecified number of Ballyboes
Ballybiatach : (Victuallers Town) consisted of four Quarterlands and the Victualler controlled the area and provided travellers with fare and accommodation. The Parish of Killygarvan consisted of two Ballybiatachs.

The Ordnance Survey 1825-1836, replaced Ballyboes, Quarterlands and Ballybiatachs with the present Townland system. Accordingly, the territory now comprises of the townlands;Elly, Legland, Lurganboy and Oughterlin.

Land ownership
After the flight of the Ulster Earls, O'Neill & O'Donnell, to mainland Europe (1607), King James (I) of England confiscated their lands and redistributed them, under the Plantation of Ulster 1608, to English and Scottish landlords who brought over their own settlers. The Barony of Kilmacrennan was instituted in 1609 and a proclamation was published 1611, at Lifford, in the King’s name, ordering all native Irish to cease to occupy (to leave) their several possessions within the precincts of Portlough & Liffer (Lifford) and betake themselves to their new allotments in the Barony of Kilmacrennan.

"The Description of the Barony of KillmcCrenan in the Countie of Donnegall :
The said barony lyeth bounded on the East with the River of Loughswilly,on the West wth the River of Gidore and the Barony of Boylagh and Banagh, on the South with the River of Swolly and Barony of Rapho and on the North with the sea. The Soyle whereof is generally Mountainous, Boggy and Rocky wth many Loughs and Wayes hardly passable".

The Irish Rebellion of 1641 was quelled by Oliver Cromwell in 1649 and an Act of Parliament was passed, entitled :
"An Act for the speedy and effectual reducing of the rebels in his Majestie's kingdome of Ireland to their due obedience to his Majestie and the Crown of England".
To this end, Commissioners were appointed to oversee "the sequestration of papists' and delinquents' estates".

The Civil Survey,1654-56, describes the following forfeited lands :
Aughterglyn ; Half a Quarter and two balliboes of land with two balliboes more of Legland. Total, One hundred and sixty Ackers; Arrable 20, Mount Pasture 80, Red bog 30 and Shrubby wood 30. The said Quarterland called Aughterglyne and Legland held by Torlagh McCaffer O'Donnell and Owen McMurragh, Irish Papists, is bounded, on the East with Creeve, West with Gortcally, North with the head of Drumhalla and sowth with Glenalla.

Under the new regime, Mr. Mortimer, Ballynahinch, Co. Down., became absentee Landlord and tenants in Oughterlin & Legland were grouped in areas according to their surnames; e.g. Boylestown, Canningstown, Coylestown, Diverstown, Dohertystown, Healystown and Priestown. According to the late Schoolmaster, Anthony Carbery, there was a "story" that in the days of the United Irishmen, 1798, some men from the district went to the Landlord's residence in Co. Down and murdered him. His murderers were never found. Rev. William Mortimer's Oughterlin estate consisted of 3825 acres, having a valuation of £619.00 in 1871.

The Grand Jury for County Donegal
Based in Ramelton, it consisted of a panel of twenty-three individuals, generally drawn from the Landlords of the County. It was empowered to levy a local tax (county cess) for a variety of functions and had authority to build roads from 1765 onwards.

In Ramelton Cemetery, a monument marks a grave and has the following inscription:

"Sacred to the memory of Samuel Sprole, Solicitor, for 23 years secretary for the Grand Jury of County Donegal. Born at Ramelton 14th Feby. 1799, died at Portrush 20th Jan. 1866.
Honourable wise & genial and unselfish, he won and retained the affection of many friends. He loved his birthplace and advanced its interest at the sacrafice of his own.
Attached to his Church, he was faithful to its doctrines and discipline. Free from party prejudices, he was full of charity for all men.
In confident hope of his joyful resurrection, loving & sorrowing friends erected this monument to his memory conscious that the words chisselled on this cold hard stone can tell the warmth and tenderness of the heart that lies beneath".

The Grand Jury was replaced by Donegal County Council in 1899 and moved to new headquarters in Lifford. The entourage moving the contents of the Ramelton offices set off, fully loaded, and in celebratory mood heading for Diamond in Lifford but arrived at the Diamond in Raphoe, by mistake.